From Justus von Liebig to Charles W. Eliot: The Establishment of Laboratory Work in U.S. High Schools and Colleges

The laboratory method of teaching chemistry is so ubiquitous and firmly established that its pedagogical value is rarely questioned. However, this was not always the case. The laboratory method only became popular and widespread towards the end of the 19th century. This article describes the role that Justus von Liebig had in popularizing the laboratory method, how he indirectly influenced educational reformer and Harvard president, Charles W. Eliot, and how Eliot brought about widespread dissemination and adoption of the laboratory method in schools and colleges.